Indulgence

Cinderella Men (and woman)

Chinua Achebe from Things Fall Apart
The sun will shine on those who stand before it shines on those who kneel under them.

I watched Cinderella Man with Berna and Darwin last night. It's a very good movie -- very uplifting, very moving, very inspiring. Russel Crowe, once again, gives a very stirring performance and has, once again, disappeared into his character. There's no Russel Crowe in that performance. He was James Jay Braddock. He's never the same person twice. He doesn't bring anything of his previous characters or himself to the roles. He's amazing that way. Whereas Renee Zelwegger has, as she has always done (except for Empire Records which I hated) brings about a connection between you and the characters that she has portrayed. And an excellent performance by Paul Giamatti. He was so charming and real and feeling and I was cheering along with him and hoping with him and I could see it all in his eyes that what I was watching was true. It's a wonderful movie.

Afterwards, the three of us went to Gilligan's for some drinks. It was a poker night except that nobody could make it to poker night so I opted to watch a movie and found myself wanted to drink because it was supposed to be a poker night. Oh no! I'm slowly programming myself. Dangerous ground... But what was nice is how I was able to bond with my two friends. Darwin and I have constantly teased each other in the office. We talk briefly and share laughs but we've never really sat down to talk like we did last night. Berna, on the other hand, is one of my closest friends and we've already been through so much together since we met last year. We see each other almost everyday because of work but we were both thinking how great it was to just sit down and talk and get to know each other again.

I don't know if we are different people when we are at the office but last night; she wasn't the person I see everyday at work. I got to see her as my friend, one of my closest friends who can tell me the truth about what she sees going on in my life and I wouldn't get hurt, no matter how painful it may seem to be. I miss her, despite seeing her everyday, I really miss her and I'm glad to have had that moment again.

We spoke about work and plans for the future. We talked about reading and poetry and people. We were talking about the networks -- the one we work for and the rival company trying to edge in on our turf. We made a toast to James Jay Braddock and how he inspired a nation during a great depression to keep fighting, to fight hard for family, for the things you love and believe in, to fight and not to give in to your desperation and to never lose hope.

It was a great night -- a good way to start the week.

posted by wanggo @ 4:26 PM